NO BLOOD MONEY !

Grey River Argus, 23 June 1943, Page 4

NO BLOOD MONEY !

Land for Soldiers BILL AGAINST SPECULATORS

WELLINGTON, June 23.

In the House an intimation that a Bill would be introduced to deal with land aggregators and speculators was given by Hon.; R. Semple. He said: These ""o’-le were not going to .get blood money out of- returned servicemen, or from taxpayers. The Bill would make provision for land to be sold at is productive value. Replying to an Opposition interjection, the Minister said that the value of land would be determined to the value of commodities that could be produced from the land, plus farm improvements.

Mr. Semple said that it was because of inflated prices that were, being asked for land at present. that more returned men of this war had not been settled on farms.

Defending the Rehabilitation Board, Mr. Semple said that therq had not been one case of failure to offer assistance ‘ to a ’ demobilized serviceman or woman. The number of servicemen and women demobilized bv March thirty-first last was 19,294. Of these, 10,591 had been placed in employment, or returned, to the -old employers. Loans totalling nine hundred, of a value of £377,188 had been granted and to date fifty had been settled on the land.